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A High-Pressure Pipeline is a type of pipeline that is used to transport crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas across countries or within states at very high pressure. In order to keep the liquids and gases flowing in the pipeline, the pressure of the pipeline has be to increased and constantly kept in the range of 200 to 1500 psi...
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Snubbers

Definition - What does Snubbers mean?

Snubbers are devices which are used to hold or grip the drill string when it is inserted into the wellbore. Snubbers ensure that the drill string is not damaged and it is suspended in a rotary table. They have steel wedges (two or three) which are hinged together forming a circle near the drill pipe. Snubbers also help in suppressing the effect of pressure surges and pressure pulse from the medium in the wellbore.

Petropedia explains Snubbers

Snubbers grab drill strings during snubbing operations. These devices are designed to withstand temperatures and pressure of up to 120 degree Celsius and 400 bars respectively.

Snubbers can be of two types:

Stationary Snubber– This type is used when the snubbing operation needs to be performed under light pipe conditions. The orientation of the snubber is in hold down position to grip the drill string with the force acting in the upward direction on it.

Travelling Snubber – It is also used when the snubbing operation needs to be performed under light pipe conditions; however, the orientation of the snubber in this case is in a way such that the force acts in same direction to the hold down position of the gripped drill string.

Both types of Snubbers work in tandem to carry out the work. Basically four slip bowls are used in this process. ‘Pipe heavy’ and ‘Pipe light’ are two terms given to the operations carried out using the slip bowls. When the tubular weight in the well is less than the wellbore force it is known as Pipe light; in other case it is Pipe heavy (in this case either the fluid weight inside pipe is greater or the pipe had been snubbed enough).